Pneumatically operated electric contactor



Aug. 8, 1939.

C. H. RIPPL PNEUMATICALLY OPERATED ELECTRIC coNTAcToR Filed Fb. ll, 1938 2 sheds-sheet 1 Aug. 8, 1939.

c. H. RIPPL 2,168,629

PNEUMATICALLY OPERATED ELECTRIC CONTACTOR Filed Feb. ll, 1938 (Ittomeg Patent-ed Aug. s, 1939 y 2,168,629

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PNEUMATICALLY OPERATED ELECTRIC CON TACTOB Charles H. Rippl, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Clark Controller Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation ot Ohio Application February 11, 1938, Serial No. 189,969 7 Claims. (Cl. 20D-82) This invention relates to electric contactors for, Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken from the making, breaking, and controlling the duration of, plane 4 4 of Fig. 1

electrical currents. Figs. 5 and 6 are views generally similar to Fig. While the invention may have various applica- 2 but with parts broken away and with operative 5 tions,it is particularly applicable to time the duraparts in different positions; 5 tion of the electric current in the welding elec- Fig. 'l is a longitudinal sectional view of a part trodes of a'welding gun, or'machine. of Fig. 2 taken from the plane 1 1 of Fig. 2;

The invention may be practiced with advan- Figs. 8 and 9 are respectively cross sectional tages in connection with welding guns and maviews taken from the planes 8 8 and 9 9 of 10 chines which are operated pneumatically, in Fig. 2; 10 which cases, the current timing contactor may Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view illustrating in likewise be operated pneumatically. modiiied form one of the operating elements of It is among the objects of the invention: Figs. 2, 5 and 6; To provide generally an improved current tim- Fig. 11 is a top plan view of a part of the device 15 ing electric contactor; of Fig. 2 taken from the plane Il II of Fig. 2; 15

To provide a pneumatically operated electric Fig. 12 is a developed view showing in one ligure, contactor having improved means for timing the parts shown separately in Figs. 2 and 7. duration of the current controlled-thereby; Referring to the drawings, I have shown at I To provide an improved welding current cona panel preferably of insulating material upon trol contactor adapted in an improved manner to which a pair of stationary contacts 2 2 are 20 be operated by fluid pressure under the control mounted. A rectangular shaft 3 having round of a'welding-apparatus using the current, such ends 4 is oscillatably supported in brackets 5 and for example, as awelding gun; 5A and has a rectangular tube of insulation 6 To provide a pneumatically operated current thereon upon which are clamped movable switch timing contacter having improved means to adarms I 'I carrying contacts 8 8 which are moved 25 just the time interval during which the contacts to engage and disengage the stationary contacts of the contactor remain closed; 2 2 when the shaft is oscillated in a manner to To provide a pneumatically operated current be described. When the contacts 2 and 8 are timing contacter adaptable, by improved means, engaged, an electric circuit is made from supply to the timing of current impulses of relatively mains 9 9 through the engaged contacts to wires 30 long duration; I O I Il connected to the stationary electrode II To provide a pneumatically operated electric and the movable electrode I2 of a welding gun contactor having improved means to prevent irshown generally at I3 whereby when the movable regular operation of the contactor by pneumatic electrode I2 moves, work to be Welded I4 will be pressure below a predetermined minimum value; clamped between the electrodes and current may 35 To provide a pneumatically operated electric be caused to flow therethrough to effect a weld. contactor having improved means to insure quick The construction of the gun I3 comprises no restoring of the contactor operating elements; essential part of the present invention. In the To provide a pneumatically operated electric form shown, a head I5 supports the stationary contacter having improved means to time the rate electrode I I, and the cylinder I6 on the head has a 40 of restoring of the contacter operating elements piston Il normally held in one end of the cylinder to thereby time the frequency at which successive by a spring I8 and arranged to be moved toward operations may occur. the other end of the cylinder when air is admitted Other objects will be apparent to those skilled to the cylinder through a duct I9 and the movein the art to which my invention appertains. ment of the piston I'I being communicated to the 45 Myinvention is fully disclosed in the following movable electrode I2 by a piston rod 20. description taken in connection with the accom- To operate the gun, compressed air or other panying drawings in which: fluid under pressure is conducted from a source Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a contactor 2i through a conduit 22 to a valve cylinder 23 in embodying my invention and showing its use in the gun in which reciprocates a gun valve 24. 50 connection with a Welding gun; The valve is normally constrained by a valve Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view to an spring 25 to take up the position illustrated in enlarged scale taken from the plane 2 2 of Fig. 1 which flow from the conduit 22 is obstructed. ig. 3 is a fragmentary view illustrating in When a button 26 on the valve 2| is depressed cross-section parts shown in elevation in Fig. 2; against the force of the spring 25, fluid under 55 pressure from the conduit 22 may flow around a neck 21 of the valve to the duct I9 to operate the gun. Upon releasing the button, air from the gun is discharged through the duct I 9 and around the neck 21 of the valve and exhausted out to atmosphere at a port 98.

Communicating with the duct I9 between the valve 24 and the. gun cylinder I6 is a conduit 28 through which fluid under pressure may ow to operate the contactor contacts above referred to by means presently to be described. y

By the contactor operating means to bedescribed, thecontacton is caused to close andremain closed for a time interval and then is caused to open, thus sending through the electrodes II-I2 an electric current of predetermined time duration suitable to make the weld; and the contactor is closed after the pressure engagement of the electrodes II-I2 on the work I4 has been effected bythe gun.

Rigidly clamped upon the rectangular portion of the shaft 3 is an arm 29, one suitable arrangement for clamping it being shown in Fig. 3 land comprising a block 30 recessed to t the shaft 3, the arm 29 being similarly recessed and bolts 3I--3I drawing the block 39 and the arm 29 rigidly upon opposite sides of the shaft to seat the shaft in the ecesses.

The lower e d of the arm 29 is provided with a screw 32 which abuts. upon a block 33 bolted to the panel, the screw 32 being adjustable in the arm 29 and adjustably stops the arm 29 in the contactor open position as shown in Fig. 2, the stationary contact 2 and the movable contact 8 being shown diagrammatically in that gure in the position which they occupy when the contactor is open and the parts are in their normal position.

The arm 29 is constrained to its counterclockwise normal position illustrated by a spring 34 abutting at one end upon the panel I and at its opposite end abutting upon an adjustable screw stud 35.

As shown in Fig. 1l, the stud 35 may be screwed into a cross arm 36 extending laterally from the arm 29 on one side thereof, and secured to the arm by a bolt 31, and extending from the other side of the arm 29 (as shown in dotted line at 38) to constitute the back stop of a pivoted ratchet element 39.

The ratchet element 39 oscillates on a pin 49 driven into the arm 29 and extending therefrom.

A roller 4I is mounted on a pin 42 in a fork on the end of the ratchet element 39, and the ratchet element is constrained to take up a clockwise position with its rearward end, opposite the roller 4I, abutting upon the portion 38 of the cross arm 36 by a spring wound around the end of the pin 49 and lanchored thereto and having a free end engaging the underside of the pin 42.

' The bracket 5,'secured to the panel I, and which supports one of the round ends 4 of the shaft 3, is provided with a vertically spaced pair of upper and lowervbosses 44 and 45. In the upper boss 44 is reciprocably supported a plunger 46. the lower end of which is of reduced diameter and reciprocably mounted in the lower boss 45 and constitutes `a piston rod having on the lower end thereof a piston 48 reciprocable in a cylinder 49 to be described. Normally the plunger 46 is supported on the lower boss 45 by the shoulder at 5I) at the reduction of diameter thereof and the plunger 46 is yieldably held downward on thev boss 45 by a spring 5I abutting at its lower end upon the upper end of the plunger and at its upper end abutting upon a spring head 52 adjustably movable up and down by a screw 53 to adjust the compression of the spring 5|, the screw 53 being threaded into the upper end of a standard 54 mounted upon the upper side of the bracket 5.

The plunger 46 is prevented from rotating by a nger 55 securedA to the upper portion of the bracket 5 adjacent the upper boss 44 and project-`v ing into a groove 56 in the plunger.

A cam 51 having an inclined cam face 53 is secured to one side 'of the plunger between the bosses 44 and 45 by a pair of screws 59-59 and if desired, may be adjusted toward and from the vplunger by shims 69 disposed between the plunger rocked clockwise together with the shaft 3 to` which it is secured. After the initial part of the movement, the movable contactor contact 8 will be carried into engagement with the stationary contact 2 to close the electric circuit. After the cam 51 has moved upwardly sufficiently far, the roller 4I will be released and the spring 34 will return the arm 29 counter-clockwise, opening the contactor contacts 9 2, the arm 29 returning to its normal position illustrated in Fig. 2. At this time, the cam 51 will be above the roller 4I. As

the plunger 46 returns downwardly to its normalV position, the lower side of 'the cam 51 will engage the roller but will not be effective to move the contactor arm and operate the contactor because the roller, being mounted on the ratchet element 39, will rock the ratchet element as shown in Fig. 6 and the cam 51 will pass beyond the roller and then the roller will snap back under the force of the spring 43 to its normal position of Fig. 2, being stopped upon the cross arm 36, as described.

Means to be described supplies iluid pressure at an adjustable rate to the under side of the piston 48 in the cylinder 49 to move the plunger 45 upwardly. If the pressure be supplied at an adjustably reduced rate, the roller 4I will remain in contact with the cam face 58 throughout the stroke of the plunger and the duration of the current impulse will be determined solely by the speed of the plunger 46 and the length vertically of the cam face 58.

When this mode of operation is desired, and a long current impulse is wanted, a cam such as shown at 6I in Fig. 10 may be utilized having besides the surface 62 which will initially effect the closing of the contacts, a surface 63 which will hold the contacts closed without further movement during continued movement of the plunger 46.

In other cases, for example when impulses of relatively short duration are wanted, the plunger 46 will move upwardly more rapidly and then the arm 29 will be rocked clockwise with greater velocity and after the cam face 58 has left the roller 4I, the arm 29 will continue in its clockwise direction by the inertia thereof opposed by the spring 34.

To adjust such time intervals, for a given tension of the spring 34, the inertia of the arm 29 may be varied by means of a weight 64 secured to the arm 29 by a nut 65 on the screw 32 above referred to, which is lthreaded into the arm 29; and by means' of a slot 66 in the weight 64, it may be moved toward and from the axisof the shaftv 8 whereby the kinetic inertia of the m unit in- 'cluding the weight 84 will be varied adjustably.

The arm 29 when inthe process of being thrown from the cam 51 by inertia is illustrated in Fig. 8. In any case, the rate of acceleration at which the plunger moves upwardly and therefore the time it takes to complete its stroke may be ad- Justed by the spring 84 which also functions to return the plunger downwardly.

, After the plunger 48 has been moved upwardly by iluid pressure, it is necessary of course to exhaust the pressure from the-cylinder 49 under the piston 48 to permit the plunger 46 to return and to cause the contactor contacts again to open. The means for controlling the admission of fluid under pressure to the cylinder 49 adjustably and to control the exhaust therefrom will now be described.

The cylinder 49 is formed in a cylinder head 81 threaded at its upper end as at 88 whereby it may be screwed into the under side of the lower boss 45 to close the' upper end of the cylinder and to align it with the piston rod 41.

At the lower end of the cylinder head 61 is a threaded opening 69 to which a nipple on the end of the conduit 28 may be screwed and a duct 1li communicates therewith (see Figs. 2, 12, 8 and 9).

The duct 10 communicates with a cross duct 1| opening downwardly through a short duct 12 into a valve bore 13 in which reciprocates a piston valve 14 of tubular form closed at its upper end and open at its lower end. A spring 15 within the valve abuts at its upper end on the 'closed end of the valve and holds the valve upwardly to seal the duct 12, the top of the valve having an annular bead 99 thereon to insure a seal. The lower end of the valve spring 15 abuts upon the upper end of a tubular screw threaded into the head 11 of a cup-form cap 18, the skirt of which is threaded into the lower end of the bore 13, the tubular screw 18 being locked by a lock nut 19. By adjusting the screw 16, the compression of the spring 15 on the.valve.14 may be varied.

The valve bore 13 is enlarged to provide an upper and a lower annular chamber 8|! and 8| respectively between the ends of the valve 14 and the valve is provided with one or more ports 82 through the wall thereof which, when the valve is in its normal upper position illustrated, elects communication between the interior of the valve and the lower annular chamber 8|.

The cylinder 49 has a fluid admission duct 83, see Fig. 7, having a valve seat 84 therein and a valve stem 85 is threaded as at 86 into the lower end of the cylinder head 81 and has a needle valve 81 to vary the size of the opening into the duct 83; the shank or upper portion of the valve stem 85 being disposed longitudinally of a bore 88 larger than the shank. A

As shown in Fig'. 8, a cross duct 89 connects the needle valve bore 88 with the upper annular chamber 80.

A uid exhaust duct 98 communicating with the cylinder and extending downward therefrom, see Fig. '1, opens into a bore 9| in which is threaded a screw 92. A ball check valve 93 normally closes the lower end of the duct 98 and is held in closing position by a spring 94, the pressure of the spring being adjustable by the screw 92.

The lower ends of the bores 88 and 9| are'sealed by lock nuts 95 and 98 on the threads of the needle valve 85 and screw 92.

A cross duct 91, see Fig. 9, connects the lower annular chamber 8| with the bore 9|.

A small diameter bleeder duct |90 effects restricted communication of the valve bore 18, at a point above the valve 14, with the atmosphere. A duct connects the annular chamber 8| with the bore 8| at a point below the valve ball 93.

The above described interior construction of the cylinder head 61 is shown in Fig. 12 developed for convenience of reference into a single sectional plane; and in fact, it may, if preferred, be constructed as shown in that figure.

In the operation of the valve arrangement in the cylinder head 61 just described, fluid under pressure enters by 'the conduit 28 and passing through the ducts 18, 1| and 12 is shut off by the seal at the upper end of the valve 14. It is one of the advantages of this invention that rthe operation of the contactor as above described will not occur until the pressure to operate it has reached a certain predetermined value so that, as a result repeated operations occur positively and produce time intervals of current now of not greater than a predetermined maximum. If variations of source pressure were communicated directlytothecontactorcylinder49,orif the pressure communicated to the cylinder 49 were a rising pressure or were otherwise to vary, the contactor operating pressure value in the cylinder 49 would be reached irregularly, and at one time would be attained more rapidly or more slowly than at another time, so that in one case the contactor would be operated quickly and in another case sluggishly. By the arrangement illustrated however, no operation at the contactor can occur until the pressure has reached a predetermined value which as will now be understood, is determined by the tension of the spring 15 holding up the valve 14. When however, this pressure has been reached, the piston valve 14 will move downwardly and will first close 01T the port 82 by moving it into the valve bore 13 below the lower annular chamber 8|. The valve will continue to move downwardly until the upper end of the valve moves into alignment with the upper annular chamber'88 whereupon the fluid enters this annular chamber and then ows therefrom through the cross duct 89 to the needle valve bore 88 and thence through the needle valve 84-81 into the cylinder 49 to force upwardly the piston 48 to operate the contactor as above described.

It will be observed that the valve 14 seals the upper end of its bore 13, on the bead 99, which is of smaller diameter than `the upper end of the valve. applied upon a small valve diameter but as soon as the valve starts to move and breaks the seal at the bead 99, the full area of the valve end is exposed to the operating pressure. Thus a quick snap action of the valve is effected causing it to move instantly to open position when it starts. In some cases, if the seal at the bead 99 were not perfect, the air under pressure might leak around the bead, and before the pressure has attained the value at which it is desired to operate the contactor, such smaller pressure acting upon the full area of the valve might operate it, result 'ug in premature low-pressure-operation of the contactor. To avoid these effects of leakage around the bead 99, the said bleeder duct |88 may, if desired, be provided to exhaust the leakage air to atmosphere so that it cannot accumulate sufliciently to move the valve.

The time interval during which the contactor contacts will remainclosed may be adjustably The valve opening pressure is that varied by adjusting the needle valve 81, as above referred to.

As stated, the piston valve 14 prevents admission of operating air to the contactor cylinder until the pressure has attained a predetermined amount; so also, similarly, the operating plunger 46 will not be returned to its lower starting position until the iluid pressure has been reduced. This will insure that the operator of the gun |3 will have released the button 26 to allow the air under the'gun piston |1 to discharge outwardly through exhaust port 98 on the gun which, in "turn, insures that the plunger 46 will not return until the electrodes of the gun have been opened. Thus there is no dangerthat the contactor will again close or repeat unintentionally.

When, however, the gun button 26 has been released and the gun pressure has exhausted at the port 98 thereon, and the supply of iuid pressure from the conduit 22 has thus been cut on, the pressure in the cylinder 49 Will be relieved and this reduced pressure being communicated to the upper end of the valve 14 will permit the spring 15 to move the valve upwardly and the port 82 will then communicate with the lower annular chamber 8|. 46 will fall and the piston 48 will force the fluid downwardly through the duct 90, opening the check valve 93, and into the bore 9|, and thence will flow by duct 91 to the annular chamber 8| and thence through the port or ports 82 into the interior of the valve 14 and thence downwardly through the tubular screw 16 to the atmosphere.

Thus when the pressure is released, the plunger will return or reset instantly to be in position as soon as possible for another operation.

Incasesinwhichthe needle valve 81 is adjusted for a very slow W of uid to the cylinder 49, there may be enough leakage out of the cylinder 49 by way of the duct 90, bore 9|, duct 91, annular chamber 8l and around the piston valve and out through the tubular screw 16, to prevent accumulation of pressure in the cylinder 49 and to interfere with the desired slow movement of the plunger 46. It is to prevent such leakage that the duct |0| is provided` This duct communicates the full source pressure to the underside of the ball 93 when the valve 14 has moved down, which holds the ball firmly on its seat and effectively seals the duct 90.

Thus, as will be seen, the contactor cannot be operated until the pressure for operating it has attained a suitable operating value at which it will in every case operate the contactor for the same time interval; and that this time interval can be widely adjusted for diierent time periods; and that the contactor operating plunger will not be reset for another operation until the pressure has been fully released by the release operation at the welding device; and that the operating pressure will not be attained until after the gun or other device has been fully operated to engage the electrodes with the work; and that unintended repeating of the contactor is prevented; and that for any pressure adjustment of the piston valve 14 by the spring 15 and any timing by the needle valve 84-81, the current duration may be further adjusted at the spring 34; and also bythe inertia weight 64 when the interval is to be short.

Subject matter illustrated and described but not claimed herein constitutes the subject matter of the co-pending applications of Charles H. Rippl, Serial No. 62,795, liled February 7, 1936, for improvements in Welding current control Thereupon the plunger apparatus and of Edward G. Beiderman, Serial No. 84,981, illed June 13, 1936, for improvements in Time controlled electric switch.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that when'pressure is first admitted to the Whereas in Fig. 1 I have illustrated the electrodes |||2 as connected directly to the supply mains 9-9 when the contactor is operated, it is to be understood that, as is well known in practice, the electrodes may be energized from the mains 9 9 through a transformer.

My invention is not limited to the exact construction illustrated and described but includes all changes and modications which may be made therein and mechanical equivalents thereof which come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a pneumatically operable contactor mechanism, van expansible and contractible chamber having a movable wall, an electric contactor, mechanism means eiective upon movement of the movable wall by application of fluid pressure to the chamber to both operate and restore the contactor and ineective to operate the contactor when the pressure in the chamber is relieved, means providing a iluid pressure admission passageway leading 'to the chamber, a uid pressure exhaust passageway leading from the chamber, a valve comprising a' valve element controlling both passageways `and biased to a normal position in which it closes the admission passageway and opens the exhaust passageway and being subjected to admission pressure in the l admission passageway and movable thereby to open the admission passageway and close the exhaust passageway upon admission of iiuid to the admission passageway at pressure above a predetermined value only, to insure operation of the contactor at fluid pressures above said minimum pressure only.

2. The apparatus described in claim l and in which a check valve in the exhaustduct yieldably maintains the exhaust duct closed, and in which means is provided to apply fluid pressure to the check valve in the closing direction to hold it closed upon admission of fluid pressure to the chamber. Y

3. The apparatus described in claim 1 and in which an adjustable port is provided in the admission passageway to control the rate at which fluid pressure is supplied to the cylinder, to control the time during which the contactor remains operated. A

4. The apparatus described in claim 1 and in which the valve element is biased by a spring and means is provided to adjust the tension of the spring to adjustably change the said predetermined pressure value.

5. The apparatus described in claim 1, and in which a check valve is provided in the exhaust duct and a spring yieldably holds it closed, and means is provided to adjust the tension of the spring to adjustably vary the rate at which the fluid pressure exhausts from the chamber through the yexhaust duct to adjust the rate at which the chamber contracts to restore the movable wall.

6. 'I'he apparatus described in claim 1, and in which a check valve is provided in the exhaust duct and a spring yieldably holds it closed, and means is provided to adjust the tension of the spring to adjustably vary the rate at which the fluid pressure exhausts from the chamber through the exhaust duct to adjust the rate at which the chamber contracts to restore the movable wall, and in which means is provided to apply uid pressure to the check valve in the closing direction to hold it closed upon admission of uid pressure to the chamber.

7. The apparatus described in claim 1 and in which a valve is provided in the line of the exhaust passageway and means is provided to adjust the valve to adjustably vary the rate at which the fluid pressure exhausts from the chamber through the exhaust passageway to adjust the rate at which the chamber contracts to restore the movable wall.

CHARLES H. RIPPL. 

